Saturday, August 5, 2017

I read Lost, the first book in this series some time ago and recently found the two sequels. If you want to feel the emotions of the characters you will love them.

LOST WITHOUT YOU:

This second book in the Lost Series is completely different
from the first, in which Brittany Powers and Cooper Owens are the sole
survivors of a plane crash in the Amazon.

While it is hard to put yourself in their shoes in the
Amazon, every emotion expressed in this, the second book, is something with
which readers can totally identify.

The author has done a wonderful job of showing the
detrimental effects of the plane crash on both characters, and their struggles
to get over their PTSD and mental problems, plus their onw personal tragedies.

The coldness of Brittany's family and the warmth and love of
Cooper's brothers and parents make for huge emotional conflicts, not to mention
the kindness and hospitality of Charlie, Brittany's only friend in the world.

The two lovers' desperate need to reunite keeps the reader
turning the pages.

LOST FOREVER

DM Thornton is an excellent author. She has a way of making
the characters come to life so you care about everything that happens to them,
especially if you have followed their story in the other two books.

This author is also gifted in her ability to make the reader
feel each and every emotion. You will have your heartstrings stretched taught
and then broken as you experience the soaring highs and desperate lows as
Brittany and Cooper wallow in the joy of being together again. There is no
doubt they are hopelessly in love with a love that will never die.

And then your heart will be ripped from your body.

I love this series and I am a huge fan,, but if you suffer
from depression or are easily saddened, you may find this book too deeply
emotional.

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Scorpio's Sting -- Romantic Suspense -- is available on Amazon after many hours of editing and a long wait.

This is the fourth book in my Zodiac Series, in which each heroine was born under a different star or zodiac sign and exhibits the traits associated with her sign.

ICE Agent Neelie Nelson and Drew McBain have a habit of meeting in strange circumstances.

Targeted by la Serpiente de Coral Cartel and the most powerful and ruthless drug kingpin in Mexico, Drew reels from heartbreak after catastrophic heartbreak. The desire for revenge festers while he fights to rebuild his life and protect what is his.

Neelie has never been able to forgive her deceased husband for his unmitigated betrayal, and for his lack of forethought that has put her and everyone she cares for in mortal danger.

Anger, fear, and a mutual passion for revenge fan the flames of their smoldering desire and then a desperate situation forces them to act against the cartel. But how can they match its power?Buy now on Amazon

CHAPTER 1

Drew McBain’s eyes opened wide,
and before he could do anything to stop her, a smoking hot blonde filled his
arms. “Watch it,” he said.

She jerked her head up and yelped.
“Oh no, I’m so sorry.”

“You should look where you’re
going.” He held onto her longer than he should have. She smelled good, and he
had just groped a delectable, firm breast. “I didn’t mean to . . .”

She ran her tongue over her lower
lip, and for a moment their eyes met and held. The sudden intake of breath
caught him by surprise.

“I’m sorry, again.” She held up
the cell phone she had been checking. “My bad. I’m late for work.”

He released his hold on her, and
watched her well-shaped ass until she disappeared into the darkness. Something
held him there—some subliminal message that had passed between them compelled
him to follow her. He stepped into the shadows. He shouldn’t have allowed her
to get away. He rounded the corner to see her climb into her vehicle and slam
the door.

“Wait!” he yelled and threw up a
hand.

She didn’t hear him.

He stared after her...

NEELIE'S STORY

This is the prequel to Scorpio's Sting. It is available FREE at the link below.

Neelie Nelson fears the worst. Her husband has been gone over a year on a dangerous assignment to infiltrate a powerful drug cartel in Mexico. Her hands shake uncontrollably when she unwraps the crystal ball. What will she do if she sees his death? Get your FREE download here.

Friday, August 5, 2016

I'm happy to feature this suspense thriller this week. It looks like a book I'm going to have to read.

At Granite’s Mill, deep in the backwoods of Virginia, a body is discovered with unusual physical characteristics. By morning, the media erupts over a headline in a local newspaper, ‘The Son of Virginia’s Governor is Missing’.

FBI Special Agent Jack Stanwick is handed the case. Realizing he’ll have to go outside the brethren, Jack marshals the help of an old friend, Raymond Davenport, who hung a sign on a renovated brownstone in Washington, DC, with the verbiage: Davenport Detective Agency. To assist him, he hired three former police officers from various precincts, who like himself, blew the whistle on dirty cops only to deal with the fervent hostility from the brotherhood. With the investigation under way, the detectives stumble upon a group of men known as M.A.G.O.C., who’re muddled in a governmental conspiracy involving a top-ranking official at the White House. With their many resources, they dig further and unearth Prescott Chemicals. Years earlier, the owner and his lead chemist had stolen an elixir from the Mayapo natives of the Amazon rainforest and have transformed it into a formula to be used in a congressional scheme.When the detectives accidently come into contact with the new formulation, something undesirable happens to one of them, altering his life forever.Here's where to buy it: Alter Ego

Tory Allyn currently resides in Upstate New York. Although born in Syracuse, he was raised in the quaint town of Baldwinsville with his brother and two sisters, who drove him into becoming the zany person he is today. As a child, he made up many a tale. Some funny; others dark and brooding, but all started him on the path to writing. Today, his nephew, lovingly referred to as ‘The Monster Child’, is his partner in crime. Most days you will see them playing ball at a nearby park, going for a dip in the backyard pool or snowboarding down a popular mountainside.

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Like most writers, I find it challenging to write the logline (or Facebook hook), and pitch or Amazon blurb for my books, and I now have three templates for creating them. Each template has its merits, but I do favor one of them over the others.

When I completed Aquarius Addiction, at the end of 2014, I didn't have a template to use, and now I think the blurb I wrote then was too wordy, so I plan to change it.

I've placed all four of my efforts below and I would love it if readers and other writers would take a look at all of them. Tell me in the comments section below which one you think is the best. As a reward for giving your honest opinion, I'll be happy to share all three templates with you.

1. THE ORIGINAL (NO TEMPLATE)

Logline, One Line Pitch or Facebook Hook

FBI Psychic Arlette Xylander has two goals – to beat death, and have wild passionate sex with Andre Rossouw.

Blurb

Why did hunky Andre Rossouw come into Arlette's life on the same day her doctor told her she was about to die?

Attractive FBI Psychic Arlette Xylander displays all the character traits of her star sign, Aquarius, being feisty, eccentric, freedom-loving, flirtatious, rebellious and unpredictable. She may be only five feet tall, but she epitomizes the old adage that dynamite comes in small packages.

Her emotions rage between denial, anger and tears when her doctor tells her she is suffering from a rare terminal disease. When hunky Andre Rossouw asks her to help find his sister who has been missing for four years, Arlette makes two decisions. To beat the disease and find a cure, and to have wild and passionate sex with him.

Then she finds out he has a fiancée.

Arlette's country home on the banks of Bayou LeGue was left to her by her mysterious aunt Lucie, whom she never met, and whom her dysfunctional parents have never been willing to discuss. She often wakes in the dark hours of the night to hear ghostly voices downstairs, and wishes she could find out who they are and what they want.

A mysterious letter arrives from her aunt, hinting at a secret in the house, and her friend, Reay, agrees to research her home's recorded archives, while Arlette plans to dig into her family history. She starts by visiting her aunt's grave, where she finds a mysterious woman wearing a hooded cloak, who leaves in a hurry. Arlette's instincts tell her the woman holds the answers to all her questions, but how can she find her?

~~~~~~

2. Logline:

FBI psychic Arlette Xylander couldn't predict that her doctor would give her such devastating news on the same day she met the man of her dreams.

Blurb:

Arlette Xylander's aging New Orleans mansion on the bayou is haunted. She wishes she knew what the ghosts were saying, but she's a psychic, not a medium.

She doesn't allow the shattering diagnosis—a death sentence—from her doctor to prevent her from accepting the assignment to use her psychic powers in an attempt to find Andre Rossouw's missing sister.

At the Rossouw farm she and Andre share a passionate kiss. Then she finds out he has a fiancée. It doesn't deter her from placing him—or what she wants to do to him—at the top of her bucket list.

The kidnappers cannot risk being identified. Arlette knows she's getting close to finding the missing girl when she's viciously attacked. What desperate and terrifying lengths will they go to next?

~~~~~~

3. Logline

FBI Psychic Arlette Xylander meets the man of her dreams on the same day her doctor gives her an earth shattering diagnosis. Will she have time to fulfill her bucket list?

Blurb:

FBI psychic Arlette Xylander accepts the mission to help find Andre Rossouw's missing sister, but her doctor has given her six months to live. Will she be able to complete her quest in that time?

A strong mutual attraction draws her into Andre's arms for a stolen kiss—and then she finds out he has a fiancée. But it doesn't stop her from putting him at the top of her bucket list, and failure is not in Arlette's vocabulary. She is an Aquarius, after all, and true to type—rebellious and independent..

There's only one way you can stop a psychic from getting information, right? A vicious attack tells Arlette she's getting close to revealing the kidnappers' identities, and she has to find the strength and resourcefulness to overcome their terrifying and reckless attempts to thwart her investigation.

Could a mysterious woman wearing a hooded cloak hold the key to a cure for Arlette's disease?

~~~~~~

4. Logline:

How would you feel if you met the man of your dreams on the same day your doctor said you were dying?

Blurb:

When hunky Andre Rossouw asks FBI psychic Arlette Xylander to help in the search for his missing sister, she puts him at the top of her bucket list—to have hot passionate sex with him, that is.

She also wants to find the secret hidden in the walls of her aging New Orleans mansion before she dies. The ghosts who meet at her dining room table in the darkest hour of the night probably hold the answer, but she's a psychic, not a medium.

Her quest to find the missing girl brings clues, and the shattering information that Andre has a fiancée.

Tensions escalate when Arlette is viciously attacked, and she wonders if she'll run out of time before fulfilling her quest.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Back in the day identifying a fiction book genre was simple. The choices were limited to romance, suspense, mystery, comedy, historical, western, etc. Most were identified with one word. Now, it is almost impossible to classify a book's genre using only one word, as so many sub-categories have been created, originally to facilitate search engine keywords.

A lot of people don't seem to know the difference between a suspense thriller and a mystery, so here it is:

In suspense, the reader knows what the bad guy (antagonist) is up to before the protagonist knows. The reader's inside knowledge that someone is lying in ambush waiting for the unsuspecting character creates suspense. The actual ambush makes it a thriller.

In a mystery, the reader only knows what the primary characters know. If they're hunting for a clue, you don't know where they may find it, and if someone is going to ambush them, you won't know until it happens.

Woohoo my newest story is finally ready to be published! I entered it into Kindle Scout and if I get enough votes, Amazon will publish it. So please would you guys click on the link below.

You'll be able to read the first few chapters, and then vote if you think it deserves your support. This story is more of a suspense thriller with romantic elements than pure romantic suspense. Here's the low down:

Is revenge really sweet--or totally crazy?

Scorpios are passionate lovers. Drawn together by strange circumstances, Drew McBain and Neelie Nelson's hypnotic personalities and magnetic intensity make for an intense and profound relationship. They find themselves with a common goal when the la Vibora de Coral Cartel causes unforgivable harm to their loved ones. Ferocious anger and a brooding and passionate desire for revenge draws them together, but how can one man and one woman take down the most powerful and malicious cartel in Mexico?

I will owe you if you vote, so if you are an author I'll be happy to promote your work in social media in return. Just let me know how I can reciprocate.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

All authors know reviews are important because they help readers to decide whether to buy your books or not, and we are always thankful to people who take the time to write a review, or even a one line comment.

Unfortunately, some readers take great delight in dissing books, and earn themselves the title of 'troll'. If you don't like a book, it's okay to say so and to explain why, but there is no need to be hateful and nasty like the review for Virgo's Vice from a woman named Libby. If you go to her profile and check out her stats, you can see she is a committed troll. She's rated 1019 books and her average rating is 2.92 stars. It appears she was expecting a sweet little innocent romance. She probably doesn't understand that romantic suspense or suspense thrillers with romantic elements can be dark and intense.

Thankfully, most readers who leave reviews are good people who want to express their honest opinions in a decent and respectful manner. I personally don't publish reviews if I believe a book is worth less than three stars. I usually contact the author and explain why I feel the way I do and leave it at that.

Here are three great reviews Virgo's Vice received this past week:

From Ron (4 Stars)

Virgo's Vice asks, "What if Survivor were about actually surviving?" When a disparate group of contestants, with two camera operators, are parachuted into Africa with few supplies, they are confronted with just that question. Each has a reason to win the contest with a cool million as a prize and each has a reason to make sure no one else does. But how far will they go to win? Literally landing on her butt in the brush, Lexie King is right in the middle of it. When she took on the assignment to film the event, she had no idea what she was getting into. She is haunted by demons from her past and soon finds the present ones can be just as bad. She is confronted with the the possibility that one of the contestants feels that a million dollars worth killing for. Or are other evil forces at work?

Trish Jackson shows her familiarity with the African wilds in this book and uses it as a backdrop for her book. The characters are a varied lot, some good people and some not so good, but all are interesting. You find yourself rooting for some and not caring what happens to a few. It's a lot like life. In the end, I'm reminded of a phrase from the old TV series, Maude, "God will get you for that." I must admit that Jake was my favorite character, willing to give his life for Lexie, but I'm a dog person. Still, loyalty and self sacrifice are great qualities in any species. While part of the book is first person, in Lexie's point of view, Trish also uses third person to let you know what other characters are thinking and seeing. It's a fun read and keeps up a good pace throughout the book.

From Ken (4 Stars)

Trish Jackson’s fast-paced crime and romance novel “Virgo’s Vice” takes us into the wilderness of Africa. The contestants and two camera people have just been parachuted into the wilds where they are going to take part in a television reality show. Stranded by the failure of the show’s producer to get funding, the characters have to survive a menu of murder, love, and disaster. Using a combination of first and third person narration, Jackson creates the sense that we are watching a television show that has gone out of control. This is a page-turner with strong action and excellent romance.

From Todd (5 stars)

Reality TV...nope, not for me. But a book about a reality TV show in Africa that had a lot of things go wrong... I loved it! There was romance, there was suspense, and most importantly there was a great story behind it all, unlike reality TV. Lexie King the main character in the book is well thought out and described. Her past is the main story in this book to me and Trish does everything right in making this affect her life as a contestant for the $1,000,000.00 prize.

Thank you SO much. I really appreciate you.

Here's a link to more info and the Amazon page where you can buy this book.

Friday, August 28, 2015

I just received my cover for the next story in my Zodiac Series, Virgo's Vice. As always, Soul Mate Publishing's artists did an amazing job and captured the essence of the story, which is a romantic suspense thriller set in Africa.

Lexie King can't believe she did this to herself -- she signed up to work as a camera operator in Allan Dockery's new survival type reality show.

She wanted to prove she could break her reliance on anti-anxiety meds, and make something of herself. But she had no way of knowing he would be there. The monster.

Now all she wants is to get away--as far away as possible. But how? They're one stop past nowhere in Africa.

When shocking events start to happen, she draws comfort from Jake, the producer's chocolate lab, and cowboy contestant Billy Murphy, who makes her laugh at the darkest of times, and heats up more than her heart with his touch...

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Capricorn Cravings was published in print format 10 months after it first hit the Kindle market, and with two new books being released over the holiday season I am only just now scheduling a giveaway.

Riley Shaughnessy has the perfect life. Her veterinary practice is thriving, and she loves living in the small town in the Colorado mountains, where no one knows the shocking secret of her past. She loves to gallop her palomino mare across the vast expanse of public land bordering the town, and after a long period of self-denial, she has even committed to a date with handsome horse wrangler, Randy Hansen. But now, she knows her assistant, Jamie, would never willingly abandon her child, so why has she disappeared? Something dark and sinister is taking place, and it all started on the day hunky Powell Stewart, with the piercing blue eyes, came into her life in a strange and unexpected way. Her inner voice tells her to stay as far away from him as she can...
Here are the details of the Giveaway:

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

UK psychological thriller author Joan Ellis just sent me this wonderful review for Aquarius Addiction. I am thrilled with it.

Tight, taut and thrilling, Trish Jackson at her best.

Trish Jackson can tell a tale. Birth, death, love
and hate form the bedrock with a generous helping of Voodoo, kidnap and murder thrown
in to spice things up. Trish Jackson deals as expertly as ever with all the
elements in this fast, sexy romance. Her fans will love this book and the gutsy
story-telling is guaranteed to garner her even more readers.

Meet FBI Psychic Arlette Xylander. No ordinary
agent.

When she discovers she’s terminally ill, far from
buckling under, she behaves like a typical Aquarius, telling no-one, fighting
back and vowing to beat the disease.

What a time for her to meet the gorgeous Andre who
needs her help finding his sister who has been missing for four years. She
feels an electric connection with him and puts him first on her Bucket List. Just
one problem - his fiancée.

Of course, nothing is quite what it seems and
there are plenty of twists and turns along the way.

Trish Jackson does what she does best, expertly leading
the reader through a maze of events before finally, wrapping up the loose ends
as neatly as any good cop.

To give more clues to the story would spoil the
plot.

If you like your romances tinged with danger, told
tight and taut, this one’s for you.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

I'm very pleased to say romance thriller Capricorn Cravings is now in print. It was released by Soul Mate Publishing in February for Kindle, and now it is also in print.

Riley Shaughnessy has the perfect life. Her veterinary practice is thriving, and she loves living in the small town in the Colorado mountains, where no one knows the shocking secret of her past. She loves to gallop her palomino mare across the vast expanse of public land bordering the town, and after a long period of self-denial, she has even committed to a date with handsome horse wrangler, Randy Hansen.But now, she knows her assistant, Jamie, would never willingly abandon her child, so why has she disappeared? Something dark and sinister is taking place, and it all started on the day hunky Powell Stewart, with the piercing blue eyes, came into her life in a strange and unexpected way. Her inner voice tells her to stay as far away from him as she can, but his magnetism drags her toward him and she cannot find the power to resist. Click Here for Details

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Amazon's new Kindle Scout Program has effectively taken the power away from the publishers and placed it squarely in the hands of the readers.

Here's a summary of how it works:

Authors are invited to submit a full length fiction manuscript plus book cover and blurbs. Amazon's reviewers read the manuscript and if it meets their standards, they create a 'campaign' for the book. This is made up of the cover, a one-line description and a longer blurb about the story, plus the first 5,000 words.

Anyone with an Amazon account can login, read what has been posted, and nominate the book, assuming they like it.

Each reader can nominate only three books. If they have already nominated three and then find one they like better, they can drop one of their previously nominated books and nominate the new one instead.

At the end of the 30-day campaign, the book with the highest number of nominations wins a publishing contract with Amazon for it's author, with a $1,500 royalty advance.

Readers who nominated a winning book get a free copy and are asked to provide a review.

Campaigns are ongoing and any author can submit their book (but only one book per author) any day of the year.

This program is brilliant because it puts the readers (who are the customers) in charge. They collectively and democratically choose the best stories, and help weed out the mediocre, the bad and the unfinished stories. The author has no way of knowing who has voted or canceled their vote, and readers cannot collaborate online.

It also takes the power away from the publishers. Twenty years ago, publishing houses and their editors were like Gods. Writers submitted their work and were told to expect rejection. A handful of professional 'readers' had the power to accept or reject every manuscript they reviewed.

Then came POD or Print On Demand, and the selection process became a lot less stringent.

When self-publishing became a reality, it brought out a lot of talented authors who would never have been published in the past, but it also brought a horde of books that should never have seen the light of day.

My hope is that Kindle Scout will even the playing field for authors and readers.

Here is my campaign:

VIRGO'S VARIANT is a romance thriller or suspense thriller with romantic elements.The first 5,000 words are on the site at Kindle Scout for people to read. (No Kindle is required). If you like what you see, you can nominate the book.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Do you like crime and techno-thrillers? You may want to take a look at Cat Connor's books.

Cat, it's so good to have you here on my blog. Please tell us about your writing. What genre/genres do you write?

I write predominately in the thriller genre. Mostly crime
thrillers with a bit of a horror edge at times. My latest book, Databyte has a
techno-thriller edge.

Are you a pantser? (You write by the seat of your pants and
the story is all there in your head.)

Yep, I’m a pantser. The story isn’t all there in my head
though. I see it as a series of movie clips and write what I see as the scenes
are shown to me. I have no idea when I start a story what it will be about, who
will be involved or how it will end. I always start with a question that seems
to pop into my head. It can be anything. With databyte is was, “Whose hand is
it?” and from that a story grew.If I knew the entire story from the moment I started writing
I wouldn’t bother writing it at all … for me to write, I need to discover the
story as I go – keeps me entertained and let’s face it, it’s all about
entertaining ourselves first and foremost.Ironically though I host a writing group at our public
library and teach plotting! I have tried in the past to plot out a story – but
got bored.

So please tell us more about the book you are featuring in this post.

DATABYTE – the 6th byte book is a thriller.

SSA (Supervisory Special Agent) Ellie Conway has had better days and none of them
started with her being on the run from the FBI with an actor. She discovers
that protecting the actor from a stalker might be the easiest part of the week
and if she can't clear her name before the FBI catch her then life as she knows
it will end.

When information becomes misinformation how much of what you see should you
believe?

Choose one character from the book and tell us what he/she
would say to you if he/she was to meet you.

SSA Ellie Conway is my main character and I’ve often thought
she’s someone I’d love to hang out with.Our meeting might go something like this:

'I looked up to see a tall woman with long blonde hair
wearing cowboy boots, jeans, and a black long sleeved button down shirt crossing
the floor toward me.She sat on the bar stool next to me, leaned on the bar and
spoke, “Cat?”

“Yeah. Ellie?” She nodded glanced at my glass and ordered a drink. “I’ll
have the same,” she said to the bartender.

“Another cowgirl’s prayer, coming right up.”

Moments later she was sipping on her drink. “You have good
taste.”“Thanks. Why are you here?”

“We need to talk.”

I frowned, that didn’t sound good.“We do?”

“Yeah.” Her head swiveled and her dark blue eyes scrutinized
me.

I arched an eyebrow. “So talk …”

“Don’t let Mitch die,” she said quietly. “We have a chance
at a normal life. Let us have that.”

“I only write what you show me, so don’t show me his death.”

She finished her drink, set the glass on the bar, and stood
up. “Don’t let him die,” she said as she walked away.'

And I guess the only we'll find out if you listened to her is to read the book. Tell us, did you self-publish or query and hope a publisher would
accept your work, and how did that work out for you?

I queried. It’s a slow process and at times frustrating. I
did find a publisher and I’ve been with Rebel ePublishers since February 2009.
They’ve published all the byte series so far.In the last few years I’ve also self-published collections
of short stories, a byte series novella (which goes between the 5th
and 6th books) and a poetry book. My main character in the byte
series writes poetry – the poetry book is a book that is talked about within
the series. That was a lot of fun to put together.

Wow! You are so talented to be able to write poetry as well. It sounds like you have a lot of projects going at the moment. Which one is due to be published next?

The next book in the byte series is ERASERBYTE, it’s due out
next year – probably June or July. Eraserbyte was a really fun book to write
and quite different for me. My Admins wanted me to write a book based on some
of the things we did in Washington D.C. So for the first time ever I had a bit
of an idea how some of the story would play out … or so I thought. Turned out I
really had no clue and it grew into something quite unexpected. It was a
helluva ride and I enjoyed every second. (The Admins haven’t seen it yet, can’t
wait until they read it!) I’ve recently finished writing the 8th book in
this series, Psychobyte. I’ll be sending that off to my publishers early next
year. I’m working my way through it at the moment, tweaking sentences and
adding detail then it’ll go to a few trusted readers before it lands on my editor’s
desk at Rebel.

Your books sound amazing. Is there anything you can say to convince us to buy them?

This is what others have said about them:

“Cat Connor’s Databyte,
a techno-thriller cum murder mystery, hits the spot and then some. Even if
we’d never heard of the NSA, Eric Snowden, and Julian Assange, this book would
be worth the price of admission just to eavesdrop on the internal dialogue of
Supervisory Special Agent Ellie Conway.”

“From the first page, with multiple plots and twists,
Databyte grabs tight and doesn't let go till right to the end.” -– Eric G

CAT'S BIO

Cat Connor lives in Upper Hutt, New Zealand with her
youngest two children (The Girl Wonder and Breezy), a retired racing greyhound
– Romeo, and a fat grey cat - Missy.

She is the author of The _byte series published by Rebel
ePublishers, USA, an FBI thriller series about the life of SSA Ellie Conway.
Cat's short stories have appeared in anthologies, collections, ezines, and
journals in the USA and UK. Cat hosts a fortnightly writing workshop at the Upper Hutt
City Library: A Writer’s Plot.

A coffee addict and a lover of red wine and Jose
Cuervo tequila, she’s been described as irresistible, infectious, and
addictive. Cat believes music is as essential to life as breathing. When she’s
not writing Cat enjoys decoupage, tie-dying, walking with her kids and hound,
hanging out with friends, and themed dinners with the Admins and The Oracle.

Thank you again, Cat, it's wonderful to have someone from the other side of the world here, and such a talented writer. Where can we find out more about you and your work?

Thursday, September 4, 2014

This one of Kellerman's series featuring psychoanalyst Alex Delaware. I've read a few of the others and I like the character.

Alex is asked to provide an expert opinion about a young woman named Cherie, whose sister, Connie, is suing for custody of Cherie's child and accusing Cherie of being an incompetent mother. Alex visits Cherie's home and finds nothing to indicate that she is a bad mother. The child appears to be happy and healthy.

When Connie loses the case because of Alex's testimony, she vows to keep fighting, and says she will never give up until she has the child.

Then someone murders her.

And Cherie checks out of her apartment without giving notice.

Concerned that his professional opinion about Cherie may have been totally wrong, Alex works with his friend, Detective Milo Sturgis, to hunt her down and uncover the truth.

If you like suspense thrillers, you will enjoy this one, but I think the reason it has a fairly low rating (for a best selling author) is that I was able to guess who the real killer was before he revealed it.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

I'm happy we have finally arrived at the information about Charline's writing, which I find fascinating because she writes about vivid dreams she has had. The dreams are so detailed, they could even be glimpses of past lives, if you believe in reincarnation...

We touched on the subject of dreams and past lives in the previous post, and now to continue:

8. You write historical romance, and when I was reading your book, The Curse of Nefertiti, I remember thinking you must have spent hours doing research, and yet you say you hardly had to do any. Is that really true? Tell us a little about the book, and how your Prologue is a direct translation of the dream.

Actually,
I would say that I write historical fiction as not all of my books will feature
romance. The Curse of Nefertiti just happened to have a romantic aspect,
especially since I needed to show an amazing bond with enough strength and
passion to have endured for several millennia. Unfortunately, due to life
happening, coupled with a low back injury, A Life in the Age of Pompeii, (a
story that’s more biographical in nature), isn’t quite finished for
publication. But, it’s close!

As
far as research for The Curse of Nefertiti… Truthfully, I spent the majority of
my time researching what I had written; after I wrote it. At times, the
accuracy, or the reason for the why of a passage, (or a character), was
exceptionally eerie.

Let
me provide you with an example. Were I to choose an ancient Egyptian deity who I
could identify with, I would choose Isis. (She does, of course, appear in this
tale). I’ve also mentioned in previous interviews and/or discussions, that: “while
writing The Curse of Nefertiti, I allowed the book to write itself.”

To
the reader, as they make their literary journey, the various characters and deities
will make sense; but to me, while I was writing it, they didn’t always. I never
expected Sekhmet to make an appearance, and certainly not on page twenty-one. After
she arrived in the story, I never expected her to play such a huge part; yet
she did.

So,
finally, two-thirds of the way through my writing, I went and researched
Sekhmet to better understand why she was such an integral part of this tale.
What I discovered was quite surprising…

According
to Ancient Egyptian history, the father of Akhenaton, (King Amenhotep III), ‘especially
revered Sekhmet.’ In fact, some of the historical inscriptions described him
as: ‘beloved of Sekhmet who smites the Nubians.’ Additionally, I discovered
that more than 730 life-sized statues of Sekhmet had been erected in King
Amenhotep III’s mortuary temple.

After
learning this, I understood why Sekhmet would have displayed such ferocious
care and concern for Akhenaten, (and subsequently Nefertiti). Akhenaten was the
son of one who was most favored by her. I also understood why Sekhmet would
have been an important deity to Akhenaton; even with the monotheism of the Amarna
period. Just because you state that there is one main God, doesn’t mean you lose
all fondness and love for the other deity’s you were raised with; especially
when those deities are devoted to you.

And
to answer the last part of your question: how is my Prologue a direct
translation of my dream… Well, the Prologue itself is the actual dream and not
just a translation. The parts that weren’t kept in the Prologue were used
throughout the remainder of the story, including that last “ending” line. And yet,
the end of my dream didn’t quite wind up being the book’s end… It was the end
of my dream, but it didn’t feel right for the book’s end. Several days later,
midway through a shower, (since water is my muse), the final closing story came
to me and then I knew the book was completed.

9. You've written down five other dreams. What historical times and locations are we talking about here? How do you know the approximate dates?

Well,
let’s see…

The
second dream I had written down, actually occurred the night after my Ancient
Egyptian dream. This dream though was set in an older Ireland; an Ireland of
around 1200BC. This was a rugged and treacherous land; one that did not allow
the ignorant or foolhardy to live long. At this point in time, Ireland was home
to the Celts, and they embraced their own deities: Dagda, Brigit, the Morrigan
and countless others…

While
this book will certainly feature the historical aspects of that age, the main storyline
will focus on the in-fighting between the Gods. And also on some of the
creatures they created; such as werewolves. However, you should know that the
werewolves of Celtic lore were not evil fiends, but that doesn’t mean that I
can’t embellish the mythology…

Another
dream is set in Atlantis, the city of myth. Yet, one must wonder if it really
is… After all, Pompeii was real, but then it was lost to fables only to be
found again.

The
Atlantis of my dream was an amazing city. Full of knowledge, and with no
limits. Anything was possible because each of us intrinsically understood the
workings of the universe around us. We had the mental ability to affect change;
to bend the world to our will. Yet, even as our now-vast-knowledge allowed us a
transcendence of sorts, our understanding of: right vs wrong, good vs bad,
positive vs negative, or light vs dark, had not evolved much beyond something
akin to today’s 21st century.

In
the Atlantis of my dream, humanity had access to everything they could think to
desire; but still there were those who could not, or would not, release those
darker, base human desires. The Atlantean High Council felt they could overcome
this aspect of the human psyche; but … pride doth always goeth before the fall.

In
the end, Atlantis was lost. Not due to some catastrophe of nature, (we had
already conquered and manipulated the world to suit our needs), but because we
chose to remove that level of knowledge from the world. We did not wish to be
responsible for the possible demise of future civilizations; therefore we destroyed
Atlantis in her entirety.

Mankind
will again attain that level of intelligence, but we realized that they would
need to find it on their own. We hoped that with the many millennia necessary
to reach those heights of intelligence; mankind’s darker parts would evolve for
the better…

There
is also a dream that begins in Romania, (in the mid to late 1800s), then moves
to America before returning to Romania in the early 1900s.

A
quick synopsis:

Queen
Elisabeth (of Romania) had a daughter. A curious and independent child from
birth, she left Romania to go visit the Americas. (To see what all the fuss was
about).

The
Queen’s daughter, (Maria), had a beautiful voice; and at night she sang in a saloon.
One night, one of the patrons, (James), stayed after closing to ask if she
would accompany him to dinner the following evening. She agreed, they courted
and over time they fell in love.

Several
years later, during the spring of 1912, Maria received an urgent communication
that her mother was ill. At this point she was forced to explain to James who
she really was and that she had to leave. Her time in the Americas was
finished. Needless to say, he was devastated beyond belief.

Maria
hurriedly packed and departed, and James was there to see her off. But, when
the boat finally docked in the Port of Canstanta, Maria was nowhere to be
found.

This
novel will be written from the perspective of James, and the reader will not
know who Maria is until that fateful day in 1912. And even though James watched
her leave, he doesn’t believe she really left. This also seems to be validated
by her lack of arrival in Romania. So for these reasons plus love, he wanders
the streets every night, hoping to again hear her voice. And who knows if he
ever will…

I
will leave off with three of the five, (not including Pompeii), so that I can
answer the final part of your question. How do I know the approximate dates?

My
dream of Ancient Egypt was easy to identify as the dream included the famed
bust of Nefertiti. (Although in the dream it was a different color). Pompeii
was also easy because of the culture, garb and gee, the volcanic eruption…
*chuckle*

However,
when I have less historically altering information then I must become a history
sleuth. This means that once I’ve written the specific dream out, I will take
any and all pertinent information I’ve been provided and backtrack through time
until something starts to fit.

Then
I will take the additional information and verify that also fits. Everything
must fit together, (kind of like the pieces of a puzzle); otherwise I know I’m
not in the right time period. And then, the final piece of the puzzle is me. I
can think I’ve found the right location, the right time period, or the right
history, but if it feels “wrong” to me with regard to that “physical
recognition” I have previously mentioned, then I know I need to keep looking.

That’s
also why I started writing my Pompeii book prior to my Ireland book, even
though the Ireland dream came first. I still can’t locate the correct
recognition within myself. I can see the lands. I can see the high, jagged
cliffs and the stark white rocks. I can see and feel parts of the Celtic
history and mythology and yet I cannot pinpoint the location within Ireland. Due
to the fact that so much of early Celtic history has been lost, or hasn’t made
it outside of the country, I have this sense that I won’t find/recognize it
until I actually stumble upon it in person. I guess I’m going to need to spend
some time in Ireland. Oh, darn…

10. I'd love to hear about your next book, which is also the result of one of those dreams and is about Pompeii before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Please tell us more, and give us your first paragraph.

Well,
A Life in the Age of Pompeii, provides a “biographical” story of a woman who
was brought to Pompeii as a slave, yet was raised as the daughter of an
influential town councilman. This is a fictional tale, but it is historically
accurate to the occurrences of the age; whether culturally, politically and/or
religiously. Setting aside my back injury, (which has significantly impeded my
writing progress), this tale has been immensely difficult to write.

My
dream for this book came about as a dream within a dream, within yet another
dream, (mine). Consequently, I had to work exceptionally hard to convey that
“dream within a dream” aspect in the Prologue.

The
first half of A Life in the Age of Pompeii was a joy to write. The various
experiences of this young child easily filled the beginning chapters. But then
this child began to grow up, and my writing began to slow; for there is only
one end to work toward. This is no happily-ever-after story… There is no future
for this woman. No husband to love and bear children with. No grandchildren to
fawn over in her old age.

This
is the story of a life lost; a life of but one among the thousands. An ending
suspended in time; without even the dignity of burial. A life, and a city, that
were forgotten through the centuries; finally rediscovered and put on display
for the world to gawk at in horrified fascination. Pompeii did not die in a
fiery volcanic eruption; instead she, and her citizens, languished away under a
smothering blanket of ash; twenty feet deep in some places.

The
book’s blurb is written as if from the archaeologists who unearthed this
woman’s subterranean tomb; while the story is written first-person, from her.

Thank you so much for agreeing to the interview, Charline. I look forward to your next book with great anticipation.

Trish,
this interview was truly my pleasure, and I sincerely appreciated the honest
interest of your questions. Thank you very much for your time in formulating
them as well as for featuring me on your blog.

And!
I’m almost done with the writing of A Life in the Age of Pompeii, and I look
forward to having you read it. (I’ll even include a box of Kleenex as you might
need them. I know I have).

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Fast-paced, thrilling
and sexy.

Natalia Sokolova is the critical care nurse assigned to the
Deputy Prime Minister of Russia after he has been shot on US soil. He appears
to recognize the unique pendant she is wearing around her neck – the one that
could help lead her to her Russian birth mother. He claims he was shot by an
FBI agent, but before she can find out more, he dies.

Natalia's life is catapulted into confusion and terror. When
she arrives home that evening her house blows up in front of her eyes. She races
to get help from her friend, Ivan, only to find him brutally murdered.

Enter tall, dark and handsome ex FBI agent, Sloan Dryer, now
a private security specialist, who had been hired to protect the Russian
diplomat. He meets Natalia in the
hospital, and when he sees her burning home on TV, he knows it cannot be a
coincidence. He sets out to find her. It doesn't take much for him to realize
her life is in grave danger, and he becomes her self-appointed protector.

They spend the next few days running from their ruthless pursuers
who leave a bloody trail behind them. But who wants Natalia dead? And why? And can Sloan control the burning desire he
feels for Natalia?

If you like fast-paced action with hot, passionate romance,
you won't be able to put this book down.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Today I am celebrating the completion of the first draft of my next romantic suspense thriller. The working title is The Reality Show, and it is about a reality show gone very wrong.Here's the first Page sneak preview:

The Reality Show

by Trish Jackson

This is the craziest
thing that's ever happened to me. I am shaking so bad I can hardly breathe and
I think I'm gonna throw up. I glance
back at Joel. He gives me an encouraging smile. He looks cool and composed.

"Your turn,
Lexie," the Old Man says.

I swallow and wipe my
sweating hands on my jeans. My legs feel like jelly and I just want to sit down
before I pass out.

"Go on," he
gives me a gentle nudge with his hand on my back.

I take a very small
step forward, toward the yawing hole in the aircraft. "I can't," I
say to him. My voice doesn't seem to work.

It comes out in a
whisper.

I'm about to step back
and hand in my resignation—anything but this—when I hear the voice. The voice I never, ever wanted to hear again.

The one that haunts my
nightmares.

A far greater fear
grips my whole body.

I start shaking all
over.

It cannot be him.

But I know that voice.

I could never ever
forget that voice.

So many things rip
through my mind I almost collapse. He can't be here. I know it's not possible,
but that voice…

I look down at my hand.
My knuckles are white where I hold onto the side of a seat. I turn and scan the
faces behind me. He's not here. It's
just the fear of having to jump out of an aircraft that's making me
hallucinate.

I try to swallow. My mouth
is too dry and my throat feels like it has a lump the size of a baseball in it...

The story is set in Africa, in terrain like this.

This piece still has a long way to go before it will be published, but I'm very excited to have the story down. Now all I have to do is work through it and make it better. IT's the longest first draft I've ever written -- 202 pages. Usually they run around 150 pages.